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december 1994
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"𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗"
𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝 (𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎)
TW: THERE WILL BE (SEXUAL) HARASSMENT IN THIS CHAPTER. READ WITH CAUTIONS!
The anticipation was finally over as the students entered the Great Hall, everyone dressed up. They wore their best dresses, best robes and best shoes. The rich pureblood children and their dresses and robes were absolutely mesmerizing but then there was Ron Weasley, whose weren't. The Malfoy siblings were certainly the best dressed students there were.
Regulus was wearing a fine black suit, a white shirt and brand new shoes. His blonde hair was slicked back and his index finger was decorated by the Malfoy family ring, the ring both of his siblings have.
Draco was dressed very much like Regulus, although instead of wearing a black bow, he was wearing a white one.
But the show stopper was their sister, much to their displease as they tried to scare off every boy who looked at Violetta. She was wearing a long dark green silk dress, with strap on shoulders and a low cut back. Her brown hair she has inherited from the Black side of the family, was pinned from her face to show off her gorgeous features.
Just because Violetta must be the most beautiful girl attending the Yule Ball, it still didn't mean that she was too excited about it. There weren't too many downsides of being a Malfoy, a pureblood, but one was the countless balls Violetta has attended during her almost seventeen years of life. She liked the glitter and glamour but she didn't like the balls, especially the balls where she has to smile until her mouth hurts.
The Yule Ball wasn't a ball like that but it was a stupid ball created for the unfortunate ones who've never been in one.
"I can't wait for this to be over," groaned Violetta as she, her brothers, Gabriel and Vivian approached the Great Hall.
"This is lovely. My date being so excited about tonight," Gabriel teased Violetta who rolled her eyes.
Violetta glanced at Gabriel with that famous smirk of hers and linked her arm to his. They entered the Great Hall and Vivian was immediately greeted by Declan Crouch, her possible suitor. Pansy and Gemma approached the two Malfoy boys and Violetta gave a serious side eye to Pansy. But Violetta didn't mind that Regulus' date was Gemma. Violetta knew that Gemma had some serious feelings towards Terence Higgs who, for Gemma's misfortunate, asked a girl from Beauxbaton's to be his date.
"Shall we?" Gabriel smirked and jerked his head towards the crowds.
"Let's get this over with," muttered Violetta and followed her best friend.
They walked further into the Great Hall where they could see many of their friends chatting, and most importantly, spiking up the punch although it seemed that Professor Sprout was aware of this as she shook her head disapprovingly and waved her wand by the punch bowl to empty it. The Slytherin students rolled their eyes and left, wishing that they had been more careful.
Violetta found herself looking for someone and although she wanted to pretend that she didn't ― she was looking forward to seeing Fleur.
Gabriel and Violetta walked around since the ball hadn't quite started yet; they had to wait for the Champions to come and start the first dance. Violetta felt ridiculous waiting for people, people like Potter but she also knew that Fleur was going to be there.
The conversation between Violetta and Vivian from a few nights ago has been bothering the Malfoy girl ever since.
Luckily it took mere minutes until the Champions were lined by the doors, each entering the room with their dates.
The first person Violetta noticed was Fleur. She looked every bit of a fairy with her blonde hair and silver dress. She held a relaxed smile and any nervousness she might have held some days ago was now long gone. She looked so natural with the way she floated across the hall. There was a certain lightness in her steps.
The conversation with Vivian found its way to Violetta's head. How the feelings and thoughts she was having whenever she was around Fleur were the same ones Vivian felt when she had a crush on Anthony Rosier. Violetta's been in denial ever since but the more she tried to ignore Fleur and her thoughts, the stronger they got. And oh boy that confuses her.
Forcing herself to look elsewhere, Violetta noticed Cedric Diggory who was with Cho Chang. Violetta and Cedric were acquaintances ― she found him to be the only not-so-annoying Hufflepuff. Then there was Harry Potter and Parvati Patil ― Violetta wondered what Potter must have paid the girl to suffer this evening with him.
The biggest surprise however was Victor Krum who entered the Great Hall with Hermione Granger. Violetta nearly choked on her drink once seeing the famous Viktor Krum with that muggle-girl. She turned to look at Gabriel who was frowning as well, then she looked at her brothers who were both holding looks of disgust.
The Champions started to dance their first dance and Violetta had a hard time containing her laughter when Harry Potter tried to waltz around the Great Hall. The boy stumbled around, almost stepping on Parvati's toes. Knowing that she couldn't hold her laughter any longer, Violetta turned to look at the other pairs.
Once the first dance was nearing its end, other students started to dance along. Ginny Weasley danced with Neville Longbottom, and Violetta snickered.
"That's a couple I didn't see coming," she whispered to Gabriel who was leading Violetta to the dance floor.
Gabriel grinned at her to which Violetta answered by rolling her eyes.
"If you keep rolling your eyes at this pace, you will soon find them from the back of your head," teased Gabriel when he swirled Violetta around.
Violetta grimaced. "You sound like Druella."
"Oh! My dreams have finally come true. I do love dear old grandmother Druella," said Gabriel.
The two friends danced around among the other students. Seeing Gabriel and Violetta dancing together didn't surprise anyone ― everyone knew they were best friends. They have been spotted together several times without Vivian and no one has ever thought of them as a couple. Gabriel was too immature while Violetta was wiser beyond her years.
After Violetta and Gabriel had finished their dance, Violetta felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned around, only to face Peregrine whose hair was slicked back with too much gel, making him look like a rat.
"What?" Asked Violetta, her hand firmly grasping Gabriel's for some sense of safety.
"You promised a dance," stated Peregrine and extended his arm to take Violetta's free hand but she didn't object to the act.
"At some point, yes. But the night is still young. Besides, Gabriel still wants to dance, right?" She asked, her eyes pleading her best friend to play along.
Gabriel wasn't sure where this sudden tension in Violetta was from, he didn't like it but he could sense that it has something to do with Peregrine.
"Yeah, I simply have to dance with her," said Gabriel without a second thought. "Shall we?" He continued, and guided Violetta further into the dance floor.
Violetta sighed as she and Gabriel started to waltz again. "Thank you," she muttered.
"Anytime Lettie," grinned Gabriel. "Has something happened between you and Peregrine? You got all weird. You know, you didn't tell him to shove off."
"Umm..."
Gabriel narrowed his eyes and Violetta caved in. "Fine. We argued one day and he grabbed my arms very forcefully. He seems to think he owns me or just has some weird obsession over me," explained Violetta and she saw how Gabriel's eyes flashed with hatred.
"No, Gabe! Don't do anything," sighed Violetta and grabbed Gabriel's arm tighter. "Maybe later but not tonight. Because then my brothers will find out and we're going home tomorrow and I don't want to ruin it...."
"Fine," said Gabriel. "But after the Holidays, I'll kill him."
Violetta merely rolled her eyes.
As the evening went on, Violetta started to grow more and more anxious. She could feel how her eyes tried to find Fleur whenever there was a chance. Violetta didn't know if she wanted to speak with the French girl or if she just wanted to look at her ― she was great to look at. Violetta shook her head, the thought had entered her mind so fast that she wasn't thinking of it until it was there.
To get her mind elsewhere, Violetta turned to look at the couples dancing around before she caught Vivian who was standing by the punch bowl. She was clearly done with Declan or at least she was hiding from him. Violetta nudged Gabriel's arm and the two headed to Vivian.
"You look like you're having fun," smirked Violetta.
"I swear I am going to hex him," groaned Vivian and glanced at Declan who was standing some meters away with his friends. Vivian turned to her friends again. "How about you two?"
"This one can't wait to leave," Gabriel grinned and pointed at Violetta who just smirked. "It is always very encouraging when your date would rather be anywhere else than with you."
Violetta rolled her eyes. "It's not you, and you know it, Gabe."
"Oh bonne soirée!"
The three best friends turned around to see the Beauxbatons Champion.
Vivian and Gabriel frowned since they have never really talked with Fleur but Violetta was smiling. Vivian quickly glanced at Violetta and her frown grew deeper ― Violetta didn't smile at people. Not unless they were her family or closest friends.
"Hi Fleur," said Violetta rather brightly, her smile growing with each second.
She glanced at her friends who were staring at her strangely. "These are my friends, Gabriel Montague and Vivian Gold," Violetta introduced Gabriel and Vivian as she tried to contain the joy being around Fleur gave her.
Fleur smiled softly. "It's a pleasure."
"Do you two know each other?" Vivian asked, her gaze shifting between Violetta and Fleur.
Violetta's eyes widened by the question but she tried to stay neutral. Sure, she did know Fleur ― they have spoken to each other more than once but there was nothing else.
"I should go to Roger," said Fleur and left as quickly as she had approached the trio of friends.
Violetta felt like she needed to splash some water on her face or take a little break and go out. She excused herself from her friends' presence and although she could tell they wanted to know the reason, she left before they had a chance to ask.
The corridors weren't as abandoned as Violetta thought. Couples were snogging each other, friends were giggling and sharing gossip. Nearly Headless Nick, one of the many ghosts of Hogwarts, was trying his best to stop the young couples from sucking each other's faces off but the students didn't care about the ghost.
"Aah, Miss Malfoy," said Nearly Headless Nick and greeted Violetta, his head wobbling as he spoke. "Not planning to cause me any headaches?"
Violetta rolled her eyes at the Gryffindor Tower's ghost. "I wish I was, but right at the moment, I am too busy to cause your nearly fallen head headaches."
Nearly Headless Nick narrowed his eyes; it was very unusual for Violetta Malfoy not to cause him any trouble. "Alright then. I hope you aren't going to break that promise."
"Oh my dear Nick, when have I ever broken a promise?"
The ghost just shook his head at Violetta's response and left the girl alone.
Violetta soon found herself from the Astronomy Tower. It was her sacred place where she comes whenever she's feeling overwhelmed or confused ― safe to say that she's been spending more time there than usual. The whole thing with Fleur was odd and just didn't fit Violetta's life.
A crush.
That was already bad enough but to have a crush on a girl ― if what she felt towards Fleur even was that. Violetta has never heard about anything as stupid and unusual as that.
Violetta sighed and turned to look up to see the stars shining brightly.
It will pass, she thought. Once she gets to go home and clear her mind, she will return back to her normal self and Fleur will be history.
Minutes went by but Violetta didn't even think about going back to the Great Hall. She didn't care that it was winter and she was wearing nothing but her dress. She enjoyed the way the cold air felt against her skin. There was nothing but quietness around her ― it was exactly what she needed.
Because of the quietness, any little sound was louder than a whisper. So when Violetta began to hear footsteps approaching, she turned around to see who else was about to enter the tower.
She thought maybe Vivian or Gabriel were looking for her but those thoughts disappeared when Violetta saw Peregrine Derrick's face.
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Asked Violetta, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You promised to have a dance with me," said Peregrine smugly and took a few steps towards Violetta, making her take a few back.
"I will have that dance with you but not now," said Violetta very firmly but Peregrine merely smirked.
Violetta didn't like that smirk Peregrine gave her ― she was afraid of it.
"I want to have the dance now, or more importantly, I want you now," said Peregrine.
"Unless you want my brothers and father to kill you. You will leave me be, now!"
"But they won't find out. Not unless you tell them. And you aren't going to tell them," tutted Peregrine. "Because you are not a damsel in distress, right? Plus you don't want your father to find out that his daughter is a slimy girl who sneaked out of the ball to be with a boy."
Violetta shook her head. "I came here to get some fresh air. I didn't come here to be with a boy, or with you."
"Mmm, but you are alone in the Astronomy Tower with a boy. No one cares how it came to be. Imagine; the perfect Malfoy heiress fooling around with Peregrine Derrick. That would sound good in the Daily Prophet."
"My father will kill you," said Violetta again but Peregrine didn't seem to listen.
Peregrine started to approach her even faster and Violetta backed away, until she felt the cold stone wall against her back. Peregrine pressed his hands against the very wall Violetta was against and moved his face closer to her.
"You will be mine, pretty Malfoy," he said quietly, almost whispering and Violetta could smell the alcohol from his breath.
"You're drunk. Get away from me," said Violetta sternly and tried to push Peregrine from her but he just moved closer. Violetta tried to push him away again but he only pressed himself so close that his chest was touching hers.
"I mean it Peregrine!"
Peregrine moved his face closer and attempted to kiss Violetta's lips but she turned her head so his lips were pressed against her cheek.
Violetta has never been in a situation like this before and the amount of helplessness it brought her made her want to cry. She lifted her hands next to her face but Peregrine grabbed them so forcefully that she let out a small whimper of pain.
"Get - your - bloody - dirty - disgusting - hands - off - of - me!" Violetta screamed and prayed to Merlin that someone was close enough to hear her.
Peregrine pressed his lips again against Violetta's but she just shook her head. She quickly managed to look down at her feet and without a second thought, she stepped on Peregrine's foot, hoping that he would step away but he didn't.
"You bitch," he muttered but didn't move and continued to press his lips against Violetta.
Stupefy!"
Peregrine flew several meters away and crashed on his neck.
Violetta let out a small sob.
She was panting, trying to catch her breath and wrap her head around what had just happened. She didn't even bother to see who had helped her, she was too focused on Peregrine who was now lying on the floor instead of pinching her against the wall.
"Are you hurt?" Asked Violetta's knight in shining armor, although her knight wasn't a knight.
Not exactly. The person next to her wasn't wearing a shining armor but a long silver colored dress.
"Fleur," sighed Violetta but that was all she was able to say.
Fleur approached Violetta very carefully, not wanting to scare her.
"Violetta?" Asked Fleur when Violetta didn't answer her. "Are you hurt? Should we go and get someone?"
"I-I don't..." Violetta stuttered.
"We should go and get you checked. You should at least sit down, come," said Fleur and guided Violetta to sit down on the bench.
Violetta took a deep breath in and exhaled before turning to look into Fleur's eyes. "I-I was here and P-Peregrine came and he..." she tried to speak but her words got caught in her throat.
"It's okay. Take a deep breath in and breathe out," said Fleur, gently taking Violetta's hand.
"I-I need to get to my brothers..." whispered Violetta, her head hanging low. "God I'm so stupid."
Fleur shook her head sternly. "You didn't come here with him. And you told him to stop, you did nothing stupid."
"B-but I should have been more careful. Coming here all by myself was stupid and..." Violetta hiccuped.
However, to Violetta, the main concern or the problem was that she felt weak. She has never felt weak ― unless of course she's around Fleur ― but otherwise Violetta has always been a tough girl. One who scares people and fights them if they even think about hurting her or the people she cares about. But now she feels like a little girl who has no power.
"What the fuck?"
Violetta snapped her head towards the familiar voice of her brothers. She didn't even have to tell them what had happened ― they knew immediately what had happened.
"It was Peregrine," whispered Violetta.
"Peregrine? But he isn't even ---- " Regulus started but then noticed a shadow moving by the wall. "I am going to kill you Derrick!" Yelled Regulus and jumped on Peregrine who tried to sneak away but couldn't.
Draco was about to join the fight but Violetta pulled his arm and shook her head.
"Don't," she said sternly.
"B-but..." Draco argued but one more stern look from his sister and he obeyed.
The eldest Malfoy sibling and Peregrine Derrick were having a full-on physical fight. Instead of trying to get away, Peregrine started to fight which didn't do him any justice since he was still a little bit out of it with all that booze he had consumed and that little hex Fleur had shot at him.
Fleur still stood by Violetta but had retrieved her arm to herself. She watched how Regulus Malfoy was showing Peregrine what happens if someone hurts his sister.
"You - are - never - to - come - any - near - my - sister - ever - again!" Yelled Regulus, punching Peregrine once more, leaving the Derrick boy on the floor with his nose and mouth all bloody.
Fleur was standing next to Violetta, her fingers brushing the Malfoy girl's before she chose to take some distance from the siblings.
"So," started Regulus, stretching his fingers and Violetta noticed how bruised they were. "What do you want me to do?" He asked and jerked his head towards Peregrine who was laying on the floor.
"Well for starters, don't kill him," said Violetta. "We don't need that."
Regulus narrowed his eyes. "He hurt you, Lettie. Bloody hell, there are bruises on your arms."
Violetta quickly glanced at her arms to see if her brother was telling her the truth, he was. "Damn it," she muttered. "Now I can't wear that dress for our ball. People will see these."
"I think your dress is going to be the least of your problems," said Draco.
"I--" started Violetta but she didn't get to argue because she was stopped by a very high pitched shriek.
"What in Merlin's name is going on in here?!"
The three Malfoy siblings and Fleur all turned on their heels to face Professor McGonagall, and Snape. Neither of the professors seemed impressed with the group of students. One had bruises on her arms, one's knuckles were bloody and purple and one was laying on the floor whimpering out of pain.
"Why is Mr. Derrick on the floor and all bloody?" Asked McGonagall.
No one said anything. Violetta nervously glanced at her brothers but they were lost in words as well.
"I ummm..." Fleur began and everyone turned to look at Fleur.
The French girl cleared her throat and continued. "I saw Violetta leaving the ball and just soon after her, Mr. Derrick left as well. I noticed that he was drunk so I only wanted to see that everything was all right. I followed Mr. Derrick but when he came up here, I stayed behind until I heard Violetta shouting for help."
Snape's eyes moved from Fleur to Violetta. "Why were you shouting for help?"
"Why do you think Derrick is on the floor with his teeth shattered?" Asked Violetta briskly.
McGonagall glanced at Violetta but then turned back to Fleur. "Please continue Miss Delacour," she said.
"I ran up here and Mr. Derrick was all over Violetta, and she didn't want that. So I hexed him away..." said Fleur. "And then both Mr Malfoys came here."
"Mr. Malfoys. We do not use violence as a solution," said McGonagall sternly when she turned to look at Regulus and Draco.
"He was hurting my sister!" Argued Regulus.
McGonagall sighed but didn't argue with the boy. She knew how protective the Malfoys were of each other.
"All right then," said McGonagall, crossing her arms over her chest. "We will watch this one with closed eyes. After all, you were only looking out for your sister. Isn't that correct Mr. and Mr. Malfoy?"
Both Malfoy boys nodded.
"Come now Mr Derrick. Madam Pomfrey can fix your face, although you highly deserve that after what you have done," said McGonagall.
Peregrine got up from the floor, leaving a nice pond of blood behind. He followed McGonagall who promised him that she was going to give him detention for the rest of his time in Hogwarts. Snape watched as the two left before turning to face the three Slytherins and Fleur.
"Off to bed, all of you. I think the party is over for the four of you," said Snape.
They all nodded, not daring to argue with Snape. Fleur glanced at Violetta once more, giving her a soft smile before being the first one to leave the tower.